Being one Will one Nature one Mind one Heart one Life one Spirit So that as he is so are we in this world 1 Joh. 4.17 Oh beloved would God every one of us thus knew our selves to be the Temple of God that is in us See ye not or Do ye see or look upon These are different Questions one from another 1. The Greek Text hath the former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus the words are an appeal unto their Sense 2. The Vulg. Latin and Arabick Version Do ye see or look upon and so the words contain an Expostulation Both of them are good Sences in their several kinds I shall consider them first in the former sence And so we have in the words 1. An Appeal to their Sense concerning the firmness magnificence and beauty of the Structures and buildings of the Temple See ye not all these things 2. An Inference from the Appeal of an exact and accurate destruction ruine and overthrow of those Structures and Buildings Verily I say unto you there shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down In them both we have these divine Truths 1. The Disciples saw the firmness magnificence and beauty of the Buildings of the Temple 2. Our Lord affirms that one stone shall not be left upon another that shall not be thrown down 3. Though the Disciples saw the beauty and magnificence of the Buildings of the Temple yet our Lord affirms unto them that not one stone should be left upon another of that Building 1. The Disciples saw a Rule for our spiritual Opticks and Perspectives that we ought to look upon all outward things even the strongest firmest most magificent and most fair and beautiful as fading transient and passing away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fashion of this world passeth away The things that are seen are temporal 2 Cor. 4.18 Yea what is the most firm at that the Lord aims in his Judgments the fenced Cities the high Walls Rabbah of the Ammonites Ar of Moab London of England the Mother-cities of all Nations The hand of the Lord is upon the fenced Cities and every high wall whatever is strong The coming of the Lord is compar'd to Lightning which passeth through the Scabbard and melts the Sword passeth through the Flesh and burns the Bones to ashes These are more like to resist and more befitting his power Optat aprum fulvum descendere monte leonem See Notes on Zephany 2. Our Lord affirms That there shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down These words seem to be understood only of the Temple unto which the former words have express reference But since our Lord adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do not you see all these things they may be extended also unto the City Jerusalem and buildings thereof which were also to be destroyed when the Temple was And thus Josephus speaking of this ruine and overthrow of the City saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the City was plucked up by the roots and adds elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was so destroyed or word for word it so vanished out of sight that they who should come to the place could hardly believe that ever it was inhabited The Reason of this accurate and curious Destruction 1. Thou knewest not the time of thy Visitation 2. They were now wholly outwardly inclined and mistook the outward figures and visible representations of spiritual and heavenly things for the spiritual things themselves The Temple of the Lord the Temple 3. The Buildings themselves had served their turn and were to last only until the true Temple should appear 4. And now that first Dispensation was to have an end 5. The making and unmaking the doing and undoing and destroying must be according to the same proportion and therefore as the Building is described Haggai 2.1 15. by laying one stone upon another stone in the Temple of the Lord so must the destroying of the Temple be not one stone must be left upon another that should not be thrown down 1. Hence it follows that the Jews outward Rites and manner of worshipping God is utterly abolished and destroyed for whereas that Temple was the place whereunto the outward Worship of God was confined when that was destroyed the outward Worship must also be abolished and destroyed with it Esay 66. Nor hath the Lord left the Jews any hope that ever those Buildings of the Temple should be repaired for after the Destruction of the Temple by Titus about 40 years after our Saviour's Crucifixion the Jews assayed thrice to rebuild it 1. Under Adrian the Emperor 2. Under Constantine the Great 3. Under Julian the Apostate but all in vain And that the rather to be observed because in the third and last endeavour they were not only permitted but encouraged also by Julian the Emperor to build the Temple that thereby they might the more reproach the Christians and their Religion which occasion the Jews of themselves were very ready to embrace But their Foundations were ruined by Earthquakes and many of the Jews slain and wounded But they taking no notice of God working against them set upon the building afresh Fire both out of the Earth and from Heaven slew many of the Workmen and consumed their Tools to Ashes When the third time they reinforced their building at break of day they beheld all their Garments woven as it were with Crosses which they could not by any means wash out which when they brought and shewed to Cyril the Bishop of Jerusalem while he meditated upon the Prophecy of Christ in my Text That one stone should not be left upon another of that building While he thus mused there arose an Earthquake which cast up all the stones of the Foundation which lay before hid in the Earth and destroyed many of the Workmen and left the Earth gaping in divers places into which one of the Jews being let down he found a Pillar and on it a Book which he brought up with him which proved to be St. John's Gospel whose first words are In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and God was that Word c. which not only caused the Jews to desist from their work but likewise occasioned the Conversion of many of that Nation to the Christian Faith Nicephorus is my Author in his 10. Book Hist Eccles Chap. 32. and 33. Hence it followeth that the large description of that Temple in Ezechiel is purely and only mystical and so to be understood and interpreted 3. As this Prophecy of our Lord concerning the destruction of the Jews Temple had a fulfilling about 40 years after our Lords Death so it was to have other accomplishments also in the ruine and destruction of other Temples This Truth depends upon another more general That all these Prophecies which have come forth from the Lord shall have their fulfilling See Notes on Zeph. 1.1 2. Observ 4. They
but the Lord is instant by Moses that the people go out of Aegypt into the wilderness till they came into the wilderness they knew not the Lords will and 't is our case till we have forsaken all that we have we cannot be Christs Disciples we cannot know his will or do it Luk. 14.33 and therefore the Apostle perswades the Romans to go into this wilderness to be unconformable to this present world Rom. 12.1 2. that they might prove and know what was that good that acceptable and perfect will of God and thus the Prophet Daniel confesseth Dan. 9.13 3. They had not the Manna till they came out of Aegypt into the wilderness nor then till the meal failed which they brought out of Aegypt Nor let any man hope that he should taste the heavenly consolation which makes us forget all our labours and sorrows untill he come out of Aegypt and have put off his affections to earthly things and is come to the retired wilderness of his own heart 4. We may put off this most necessary duty and deceive our selves but let us be assured that unless we pass through this wilderness it is impossible that ever we should come to the Land of Canaan Ab extremo ad extremum non pertransitur nisi per media That which most deterrs us is a solitary condition which we fear but indeed there is no such matter we are not alone for the Lord is with us and leads us through the wilderness Jer. 2.2 3. Mark here how lovingly the Lord takes that his people following him through the desarts he leaves it not unrequited All that devour Israel shall offend evil shall come upon them he that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye Beloved we are all prone enough to lay hold upon the promises but they belong only to those who follow the Lord into the wilderness they are alone who are without God Confer Judg. 16.7.20 5. To and through this wilderness all the Saints of God have gone Abraham and Moses and David All the Prophets both one Elias and the other Christ himself and his Apostles In this wilderness the Church hides her self in time of persecution Rev. 12.1 unto the 14. And truly for we have spent too much time in pursute of worldly things in the Devils City of which David speaks Psal 55.9 10 11. it is now high time that we hasten thither and therefore David wisheth himself wings to fly thither Psal 55.6 7. there we shall hear the Lord and the Lord will hear us 6. That we may the better be moved hereunto we must know that that term à quo that from whence we are exhorted to depart it 's the Devils Kingdom the Devils City 't is the Spiritual Babylon whence we are so often exhorted to go out consider her sins Psal 55.9 10 11. consider her plagues Let us not content our selves with confutation of the popish Eremitage calling them Babylon and pleasing our selves with the names of Sion and Jerusalem for while we call them Babylon and they call us Whore like two strumpets calling one another neither goes out of Babylon as we ought 2. Consider the term ad quem when we are departed out of this Aegypt this Babylon the Lord will receive us when we are empty of all things else then we shall be filled with him who is the fulness of all things when we are in the desolate and solitary wilderness he will dwell in us when we come into the desart where there is no way he will walk in us 2 Cor. 6.16 17 18. and 7.1 Having these precious promises Dearly Beloved let us cleanse our selves from all polution c. let us prepare the way of the Lord His judgements now in the earth should teach us to learn the way as the Prophet Isa 26. When thy judgements c. Amos 4.12 Prepare the way of the Lord. We must enquire 1. What is meant by the way of the Lord 2. What it is to prepare the way of the Lord 1. By a way we are to understand the manner of life or course of living The way of the Lord is that wherein he walks and lives and delights Gen. 18.19 that way is justice and judgement I know that he will teach his children after him and they shall obey the voice of the Lord to do justice and judgement That way wherein he commands us to walk and live and delight that way whereby he comes unto us that way whereby we come unto him the way of Gods Commandments the way of Righteousness these are all one and the same 2 Pet. 2.21 Christ himself is this way In this way of the Lord came John the Baptist Mat. 21.32 and this is the way we must prepare yet as in a way which leads to the same term and end there are divers stages or parts so in this way of the Lord there is 1. a beginning or entrance into the way 2. there is a progress and consummation of it John the Baptist here speaks of the beginning of Gods way so it is expresly called Mar. 11. This is the way of righteousness which goes before the Lord Psal 85. ult where the Psalmist having spoken of Christ and his coming vers 9.12 at vers 13. Righteousness saith he shall go before him i. e. before Christ and shall set us in the way of his steps i. e. in the perfect way of righteousness whereof Christ himself was a guide an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 3. Observ 1. The Lord hath a way As there is a way of sinners a way of the ungodly Psal 1. so there is a way of God Gen. 18.19 wherein he and his Saints walk the way of humility the way of charity the way of peace they way of holiness and righteousness the way of everlasting life Observ 2. This way wants preparing like a way lying near the Sea the waters cast up mire and dirt upon it Isa 57.10 't is of it self a pure and undefiled way wherein we are invited to walk humbly with our God Mich. 6.8 this way is encumbered with pride and high-mindedness with swellings and tumults 2 Cor. 12.20 Gods way is a way of peace and holiness wherein he and his Saints walk but the same way is a way of holiness peace and holiness walk together in it Heb. 12.14 the Prophet Isa 35.4 5 6 7. having described the times of the Gospel he tells us what way men shall walk in it vers 8. An high way shall be there and a way and it shall be called the way of holiness The same way is unpassable and untravelable by means of unholy unpeaceable and wicked men and vers 9. that the unclean shall not pass over it therefore the Lord promiseth that no Lion shall be there nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon it shall not be found there but the redeemed shall walk there This way of the Lord is hidden or unknown unto all those who walk in
it allayes their jollity Observ 4. Observe the accomplishment of all those types and figures which in the Old Testament prefigured the Christ of God in the New whether things or persons That precious ointment Exod. 30 22-25 The Tent of the Congregation vers 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the LXX turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ our habitation the Ark the Table the Candlestick the Altar of Incense the Laver the Holy of holies Dan. 9.24 the Stone which Jacob anointed representing Christ and Christians Christ is the Stone 1 Cor. 10. a Living Stone and so are they which are adjoyned unto him 1 Pet. 2.4 5. and are built up a spiritual house and called Bethel Gen. 20. the house of God so interpreted vers 17. which was called Luz at the first i. e. perverse turned away from God and such sometimes were we Luz perverse c. but we are Anointed and become Bethel the house of God Observ 5. Christ's Unction is not an Unction only of Truth and Righteousness but also of joy and gladness 1 Joh. 2.20 Observ 6. Learn from hence who and how qualified is that great inward Antichrist there hath been and yet is much question concerning him his name declares him what he must be contrary to the Christ of God and by the rule of contraries we may find him and discover him Mark how Christ is qualified He loves Righteousness and hates Iniquity Antichrist therefore hates Righteousnes and loves iniquity and that with a perfect hatred so that the Devil himself will prove that great inward Antichrist and he hath his Image I seaâ— in many an one who would be mistaken for a Christian The old man of sin the carnal wisdom the false holiness which is crept into the heart of man in place of the Life and Kingdom and Unction of Jesus Christ No virtuous no gracious man no man who loves righteousness and hateth iniquity can be the Antichrist Observ 7. Christ hath fellows Nullius boni jucunda possessio sine sâ—cio 2 Pet. 1.4 Hebr. 12. Consol Unto the true Christians What can make them sorrowful who have received the oyl of gladness the Unction from the Holy one The wrestlers of old were anointed If thou be an anointed one let the Prince of this world come what needest thou fear he can lay no hold on thee The Prince of this world cometh and both nothing in me Joh. What though sometimes thou be in sorrow if need be through manifold temptation 1 Pet. 1.6 yet the very unction though thou see it not yet the very love of it causeth joy unspeakable and full of glory He will give thee beauty for ashes the oyl of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness c. Isai 61.3 Repreh 1. This reproves those who presume themselves fellows with Christ yet partake not of his oyl of gladness of his spirit they presume their sins are covered that they are blessed when yet they have not the covering of Gods Spirit yea that their sins are covered so closely that God himself cannot see them how then can God be Omnipotent True it is that God seeth no sin in his people to punish it because he passeth by the transgression of his people And I hope there are few of any other judgement And blessed are they whose sins are so covered But if we retain guil in our Spirits surely the blessing belongs not unto us but the curse rather Psal 32. Esay 30.1 Wo to the rebellious children saith the Lord that took counsel but not of me and cover with a covering and not of my spirit that they may add sin to sin Who presume that they have the Spirit of Prayer yet have not the Spirit of Grace Are they not both promised together Zach. 12.10 They are not of Davids house they love not God and their neighbour they are not of the house of David they are not inhabitants of Jerusalem they are not of the city of peace they were to stay at Jerusalem till they were endued with power from on high The spirit of discipline flies deceit she will not dwell in a body that is subject unto sin Alas how many of us walk so worthy of that name wherewith we are named but that one dead fly or other spoils the whole pot of ointment how much more then a great many 2 Tim. 2.19 Let him that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity Exhort To make others partakers of our Grace imparted to us God the Father he gives this Unction to the Son the Son pours it upon the Saints and the Saints as every one hath received the gift 1 Pet. 4.10 Thus Joh. 1. Andrew first finds his own brother Simon and saith unto him we have found the Messias which is being interpreted the Christ the Oyl the Unction Joh. 1.41 If any one of us have courage and valour and is strong in the Lord that 's Andrew let him invite Simon i. e. him that is obedient or an hearer Philip he called Nathanael vers 45. if any man have received light from God So Philip according to the Hebrew Etymon though the Greek be otherwise let him invite another and make him partaker of it Col. 1.12 All the Philippians were partakers of St. Pauls grace Phil. 2.7 Consol 2 King 4.1 7. The Widow is the Church The Husband is the Law as the Apostle interprets it Rom. 7. The Creditor is no other than God himself to whom we all are debtors and pray that he would forgive us our debts his Son Elisha puts us in a way to pay them we are not debtors to the flesh c. Rom. 8.12 we pay them as he appoints us Psal 16.2 3. to the Saints that are in the earth 1 Joh. 4.11 If God loved us and we owe him love again how would he have us pay it we ought to love one another and this is the common debt we all owe and which must never be discharged but that it must still be owing Rom. 13.8 Borrow Vessels empty Vessels not a few every mans body yea his soul and spirit is a vessel borrow such empty vessels empty of themselves empty of their vain earthly sensual consolations empty of worldly distractions empty of cares Oyl will not be mixed with any other liquour O where shall we borrow such empty vessels What hast thou in the house He gives grace for grace the first grace is his own Habenti dabitur she hath a little oyl the first fruits of the spirit Rom. that which she received since the death of her husband Shut the door be not vain-glorious Happy soul that can shut the door and go to her father in secret The true Elisha can enter when the doors are shut Happy soul that can retire into her chamber now the Lord opens Esay 26.20 21. Happy soul whom the Lord shuts up now when iniquity abounds like a floud The oyl will keep out the water The Oyl will run while there
9.11 a Destroyer And he who is angry with his Brother unadvisedly and undeservedly he doth the destroyers work and yields up the power of himself unto the destroyer This the Apostle well knew when he gave that good counsel to the Ephesians Be angry and sin not Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath neither give place to the Devil that subtile and malicious enemy who is alwayes ready to do us mischief And as in all things he seeks and catches at occasions to hurt us so especially in our wrath and therefore when by our wrath we have caused the Son of Righteousness to set and go down in us then the darkness and the Prince of darkness ariseth invelops and covers the faithful Soul and so we give place to the Devil No marvel then if our Lord here say that he who is angry with his Brother without just cause and undeservedly is liable to the Judgment Doubt Whether is any thing added by the outward Act yea or no See Notes on Matth. 15. Note hence that the Law is Spiritual Circumcision Passover all the Ceremonial Law but more of this in the following Points The Spiritual Law takes cognizance of the heart and spirit and the spiritual motions of it It taketh notice of our wrath the Spiritual Law reforms the heart and Spirit it consumes the spiritual wickedness which is in heavenly things and therefore it 's compared to the fire which is a figure of the Spirit and it 's said to come out of the midst of the fire Deut. 5.22 and it 's called the fiery Law Deut. 33.2 c. See Notes on Romans 7. When now the people by reason of the sin of Manasseh that is forgetfulness of God they were more incorporated as it were into the evil one and become members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Then Hilkiah the Priest having found the Law c. there must follow Reformation Josiah a figure of the Spirit which is fire is said to be the Son of David i. e. the love and this fire burns up and consumes the flesh and the bones upon the Altar and patience of Jesus Christ Thus when the true Josiah or Christ is risen he began at Moses c. ibidem Obser The horror of a guilty conscience it binds a man over to the Judgment of God Much more and greater is the terror of a blood-guilty conscience See Notes on Acts 2.37 Repreh 1 and 2. See Notes on Matth. 15.19 Consolation I have crucified c. ibidem Exhort If he that is angry with his Brother be liable to the Judgment let us cease from wrath let us mortifie the first motions of it See Notes on Matth. 15.19 Whether is any thing added by the outward Act yea or no Beloved this is no subtile contemplation or needless Scholastick Quere which may be determined either way without notable inconvenience No this Quere is practical and by so much the more dangerous because some have reasoned thus in good earnest If the inward Act be sin in God's sight then the outward Act adds nothing hereunto So that he who is angry with his Brother is as guilty before God as he who kills him This is a dangerous and a false consequence for the outward Act adds much unto the inward for proof of this let the first murder be examined See Notes on Matth. 15. 3. No man ought to say to his Brother Racha Our Lord raised three who were dead one in the house another in the gate of the City and the third who had been dead four dayes Hitherto we have heard of the man dead in the house Anger in the heart Come we now to the second when wrath breaks out of doors in evil words in reproachful language against a Brother Now what is Racha Chrysostom tells us it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reproachful word as when a man conceives himself slighted and out of contempt he saith Racha i. e. saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tu thou as if a man say to his servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 away thou So Chrysostom But although thou may be used contemptuously yet Racha hath no such meaning St. Augustine and St. Anselm and all who follow him say that Racha is an interjection of indignation But indeed it signifieth no such thing St. Hierom comes nearer the matter and tells us that Racha is all one with sine cerebro inanis voyd of wit But neither doth this sence answer the word fully Racha is a reproachful word yet less than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 following It may be doubted whether it come from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to spit upon or else from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies Idle Vain Empty if we refer it to the former it implieth not only wrath but pride also and contempt of him to whom a man saith Racha as by spitting much more by spitting upon him Num. 12.14 If her father had spit in her face c. Job 30.10 They abhor me they spared not to spit in my face Esay 50.6 If we refer the word to the other Original it implies contempt also of him whom a man calls Racha as when we would signifie him to be a vain fellow as the Poet saith Vane Ligur And St. James 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain man Judg. 9.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain persons which are discovered by the next word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 light unstable rash hardy fit for the enterprize of any desperate design The reason why our Lord forbids us to say to our Brother Racha may be considered in regard of the causes of it and the object of it it proceeds from wrath and therefore sith he forbids the effect of wrath 2. Wrath it self proceeds from sleighting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or contempt provokes men to wrath when they perceive that that high opinion of worth which they conceived to be in themselves is undervalued by others they then wax angry and break forth into contemptuous language so that reproachful Speech proceeds from pride and wrath See Notes on 1 Peter 2.1 2. 2. In regard of the object against which this sin is committed it is the Lord himself and his Spirit for whereas he invites us to humility and meekness Learn of me for I am lowly and meek c. Matth. 11. Pride and wrath which commonly go together they render us most unlike unto him whose example we ought to follow for pride and proud and reproachful Speech is opposite unto humility and wrath with scorn and contempt is contrary to the Spirit of meekness And therefore the Wise-man puts both together Prov. 21.24 Proud and haughty Scorner is his name who dealeth in proud wrath or in the pride of wrath Margin Object But may I not speak that which is true See Notes on 1 Peter 2.1 2. Obser 1. How tender the Lord is of the peoples reputation and
enemies of God 1. Neminem contra justitiam amare 2. Nulla vitia blandiendo palpare 3. Ea quae mala sunt audacter redarguere 4. Nulla propter haec damna vel adversa formidare 1. To love no man against right 2. By flattery to cover no vice 3. Boldly to reprove those things that are evil 4. For these things to fear no loss or hurt This is perfectly to hate Gods enemies Vt nec propter vitia homines oderis nec propter homines vitia diligas That thou neither hate the persons of men for their sins sake nor love the sins for the persons sake to hate them as wicked but love them as men thou must know and that assuredly who they are that hate God If thou know â—ot Gods enemies 't is possible thou mayest hate him whom God loveth and love him whom God hates if so thou art like him who aimed at a beast and slew a man for he that hates his brother is a murderer 1 Joh. 3.15 'T is possible nay exceeding probable that thou mayest hate that which is good and consequently love that which is evil such a gross errour we read of Esay 5.20 thou mayest hate him for Gods enemy who may be a better friend of God than thy self 4. The second is like unto the first Our Lord calls the former Commandment the first that more conveniently he may infer the second which cannot be divided from it this is like unto the first 1. In the object 2. In the act about it 3. The latitude of that act 1. God is aimed at in both he himself in the first Commandment his Image in the second God in thy neighbour Esay 45.14 1 Cor. 1.4.25 for if we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us 1 Joh. 4.12 2. There is the same duty enjoyn'd in both LOVE both require not outward acts only but inward also 3. Like in the amplitude and largeness of the act for as the first comprehends all the rest so doth the second Yea so like the one is to the other that the Holy Ghost useth one for the other and puts one for both Rom. 8.28 We know that all things work together for good to them that love God what only so without love of our Neighbour that comprehends that and all for this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments 1 Joh. 5.3 the second Rom. 13.8 9. the whole Law is fulfill'd in one word Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Yea whereas it might be conceived that in this latter is understood only the second Table the Apostle adds if there be any other Commandment it 's briefly comprehended in this saying Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self The reason is evident from that necessary connexion and coherence of one to the other and with the other they are interwoven one with the other so that he who loves God keeps his Commandments among which is the love of his Neighbour and he who loves his Neighbour as he ought he loves him in God and for God and therefore he must love God above his Neighbour one love is carried unto both so that one cannot be truly without the other for if a man saith he loves God and hates his brother he is a lyar 1 Joh. 4.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These and all other Graces are knit together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord refuseth that service done to himself which as performed without love unto our brother he hates robbery for a burnt offering He will have Mercy and not Sacrifice Go first and be reconciled unto thy Brother and then come and offer thy gift Mat. 5.24 He requires that we first forgive our enemies before we ask forgiveness for our selves Obser 1. This discovers a great deal of hypocrisie hid under pretence of the first Commandment as if the love of our God might excuse us from the love of our Neighbour as Matt. 15.5 Your brethren that hated you and cast you out for my names sake said let the Lord be glorified Esay 66.5 what Brethren these were ye read vers 3.4 they hated Gods friends for his sake they hated them for the love of God Jer. 50.7 Their adversaries said we offend not though they devoured them because they have sinned against the Lord the habitation of justice in their giving God glorious Titles that under them they may devour and vex their Neighbour Zach. 11.5 Whose possessors slay them and hold themselves not guilty Blessed be the Lord I am rich Joh. 16.2 Thou lovest thy self for God in God and in order to God even so love thy neighbour as thy self thou would'st do thy self all the real good thou canst Obser 2. See the transcendent excellency of the Second Commandment it is like the First and great one in the First man loves his God in the Second he loves God's Image as in himself so in his neighbour wills and does him all the real good and so one man becomes a kind of God to another Homo homini Deus Antiquity conceived of God no otherwise than as he who doth good unto mankind and therefore all those particular Authors and Inventors of good unto men were accounted Gods Such were they who taught the use of the Plough the way how to plant and dress Vines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the old Poet hence came that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Heathen An ill effect of a good cause Dei proprium servare vel benefacere Tully It's Gods own property to save from evil and do good God left not himself without witness wherein In that he did good Act. 14.17 that is his property and to do good it 's a testimony and witness of the Deity The like Act. 10.38 of Christ in that he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the Devil for God was with him Thus Paul and Barnabas were accounted for Gods Act. 14.11 Yea whereas it is indeed the work of God to save from evil and to do good yet for mans encouragement to love his neighbour and do him good the Lord imputes even the proper actions of God unto man God saved Lot But the Scriptures imputes this to Abraham and his prayers for Lot Gen. 19.29 It came to pass when God destroyed the Cities in the Plain that God remembred Abraham and sent Lot out of Sodom Neh. 9.27 It is God that saves yet he maketh men Saviours one of another Thou sentest them Saviours Obad. v. 21. Saviours shall come up upon Mount Sion and judge the Mount of Esau and the Kingdome shall be the Lords Prov. 29.8 God himself turns away his wrath from a penitent people but he imputes this to wise men 1 Tim. 4.16 Take heed to thy self and to thy doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt save thy self and those that hear thee Nor is this peculiar to the Minister but common to every good Neighbour for what knowest thou
We should go out of our low earthly sensual mind and affection and ascend with a spiritual and heavenly mind and heart unto God and the things of God Col. 3.1 2. So we read our Lord went out into a mountain to pray therefore prayer is an ascent of the mind unto God according to Psal 25.1 Vnto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul Abraham left his servants at the foot of the hill when he went to sacrifice Gen. 22. 2. Another Lesson he teacheth us by his ascent into the mountain to pray that we go and do likewise That when we would make our address unto God by Prayer we should go out of our low condition especially in times of affliction and persecution for well doing we should then have recourse unto God by prayer as when the Scribes and Pharisees were full of madness and out of that abundance of their heart they spake one to another they communed one with other what they might do to Jesus In those dayes Jesus went out into a mountain to pray Alas the heart of man so droops and flags so cleaves unto the low sensual and earthly things that it hath need of all symbolical helps to raise it sursum corda for so if in those dayes have reference to the words before we may learn this third Lesson from our Lords Example But my principal aim is at the opening of the second part of this Text the continuance of our Lords devotion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein we have these two Divine Axioms 1. God hath his prayer-house 2. The Lord Jesus continued all night in Gods prayer-house 1. God hath his prayer-house This you will say is not in the Text and truly both Translators and Interpreters have endeavoured to put it out of the Text For one briefly turns it thus pernox oravit he prayed all night another pernoctavit orans Deum he continued all night praying God a third he continued all night in precatione Dei and he explains it Per totam noctem deprecaretur Deum the Vulg. Lat. Erat pernoctans in oratione Dei and all our English Translations that I have seen the high and low Dutch and French Spanish and Italian Translations all sound to the same tune but we shall find that this Axiom God hath his prayer-house or house of prayer is true so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth in this place a prayer-house not prayer it self This will easily appear to any one who knoweth the Greek Tongue for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie prayer to God but prayer of God prayer to God should be either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or though that be uncouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as here the word is and therefore it cannot be prayer to God and it were great injury to the Spirit of God and to St. Luke the Pen-man of this Gospel and very learned in the Greek Tongue to ascribe such a Solecism unto him in that Language wherein that which seems most probable and might seem to salve the incongruity of the Greek and Latin Text is That it may be an Hebraism whereof ye have heretofore heard for when the Hebrews would express some great thing they put the name of God unto it as the Mountain of God the Cedars of God c. whereby they would express a great Mountain and great Cedars and so when Christ is said to continue all night in oratione Dei in the prayer of God here should be understood ardent and fervent prayer This exposition makes the best of this Translation that I think can be made but no gloss nor authority of men can wholly obscure the Truth The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifieth an Oratory or Prayer-house or house of prayer In the same sence is the word used Act. 16.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where a prayer-house was wont to be and vers 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Vul. Lat. turns Euntibus nobis ad orationem as we went to prayer which is neither proper Greek nor Latin to signifie the action of prayer but ought to be rendered in all the house of prayer as the Syriack doth For our better understanding of this we must know that the Jews of old had their Oratories or Prayer-houses where they were wont to assemble the most ancient we read of was at Mizpah whither the people of God were often wont to be gathered together Josh 11.3 8. Jud. 20.2 1 Sam. 7.9 There was an Altar erected and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prayer-house whither the Israelites oftentimes resorted to pray to the Lord and consult about the affairs of the Church and Common-wealth This continued long afterward as appears 1 Machab. 3.44 45 46. In imitation of this such houses were erected in after-time which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prayer-houses of these we read in Josephus in the History of his Life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which presently he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and further to the same purpose Thus Philo Judaeus speaks of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or prayer-houses which the Jews had at Rome and at Alexandria of this Juvenal Satyr 3. Ede ubi consistas quâ te quaero proseuchâ But of all the rest Epiphanius speaks most clearly to this purpose Tom. 2. Libr. 3. Haeres 80. of the Massaliani There were saith he of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 places of prayer both among the Jews and among the Samaritans as we find in the Acts of the Apostles where Lydia the seller of purple met Paul and then he mentions that place in Act. 16.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then he adds such a place of prayer there is saith he at Sichem which now is called Neapolis without the City so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prayer-houses were seated without the City though Philo mentions some in Rome and Alexandria Yea that place in Act. 16.13 which we turn where Prayer was wont to be made the Syriack Intepreter turns where was wont to be a prayer-house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and vers 16. And it came to pass as we went 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators turn as we went to prayer the Syriack hath it again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the house of prayer Prayer-houses of God are outward as his Temple which he calls his house my house shall c. inward as his particular places of assembly whither the people of God were wont to resort as Synagogues and houses of Prayer Of these the Psalmist is to be understood when he complains to the Lord that the enemies had destroyed the Lords Sanctuary and all the houses of God in the land Psal 74. 2. The inward house of God is the Church and People of God among whom and in whom he dwells whose house are ye Heb. 3.6 The reason why there must be an outward house of prayer where the People
than he asks This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Observ 1. Man must not be idle God hath made no Creature to be so much less Man made after his own Image and therefore as the Father worketh hitherto and I also work saith the Son so in reason must Man work also yet all men have not one and the same kind of work to do But as in a great house all Children and Servants have not the same imployment some are young and less is required of them others have done their own work and are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 overseers of others work unto such our Lord speaks why stand ye idle they had done their own work and now they were to work in the Lords Vineyard for him In what degree or rank soever the Lord hath set Man therein he must be active what ever thine hand finds do it with thy might Eccles 9.10 For there is no work nor device nor knowledge in the grave Observ 2. That mutual care and desire of promoting one anothers good It is not what shall I do but what shall we do so 't is Pater noster our Father c. da nobis panem nostrum our bread Be thou gracious to us 2. This reproves this knowing Age it abounds in knowledge though much of it falsly so called but most empty it is of action and the Christian Life required by that knowledge I speak not here of building Churches or Monasteries whereby the Papists teach the people to merit great presumption and folly as if man could merit any good at Gods hand of whom he receives all power to do what good he does I speak of the fruits of that Faith we boast of whereof the Apostle shew me thy faith by thy works while we teach that works do not merit many presently think they are useless They are fruits of Grace and though they do not justifie us yet they justifie our Faith i. e. they prove and declare our Faith to be true They glorifie our Father which is in heaven they are strong evidences of the Spirit of Life in us they are profitable unto men they are patterns and examples to them The Precept Do good to all men shews what ought to be done God will otherwise take away his Candlestick and set it up in a Nation that will shew forth a better light and bring forth better fruit Chorazin and Bethsaida shall condemn us It 's a fearful sentence to be denounced against unfruitful Christians I know ye not depart from me All the knowledge of God we boast of will not excuse us or help us The Jews knew God in their Generation as well or better than we do according to the measure of Truth then reveiled yet mark what the Lord saith Hos 4.12 implying that there is no knowledge of God while we do thus no neither faith 2 Thess 3.2 pray to be delivered from unreasonable men for all men have not faith And the best of us I fear are wanting in this Duty while we walk uneven with our God confining his Service and our Duty within the bounds of some outward actions and those performed sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Levit. 26.23 Vid. Georg. Ven. Probl. Repreh 2. Their idleness who do nothing themselves but only listen what others do the Novelantes of the Age St. Paul met with many such at Athens Act. 17.21 And I believe a man may meet with many such in this City who spend their time in nothing else but either to tell or hear some new thing The best news is touching the affairs of the Church the welfare of Zion such a Novelante was Nehemiah such Ezekiel with this kind of News our sympathie and fellow-feeling with the members of the same body is exercised But most men I fear busie themselves with matter of far inferiour nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This fault Demosthenes and Plutarch found in their times and we may in ours But while we are thus idle our adversary the Devil is not for he is forging lies in the brains and mouths of his Servants and our ears and belief are ready to entertain them and while we hear any thing new that we know not we neglect the practice of what we know Others over-do such as are impertinently curious and inquisitive into others affairs I speak not of those who are called to any Publick Office or Imployment it is their duty to be busie and that about other mens business too and God speed them while they do their duty and enable them to do it but some there are that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extreamly busie in other mens affairs who pretending care of the publick steal into the affections of well affected men and tacitely sue for a place against it falls I read of one in Athens who was wont to stand at the wharf when any ships were put to Sea or any came home he would take an exact account of their Lading and note them down in his Books of Account when notwithstanding these nor ships nor goods nor mariners belonged to him but to other men such are many among us they busie themselves about other mens matters their oar is in every mans boat they take account of other mens business when God knows they have a great account to make up at home which they neglect It will be an heavy account at that day when we shall be adjudged every man according to what he hath done in the flesh c. This is the case as the Poet speaks of a broken Tradesman Postquà m omnis res mea jam jam Ad medium fracta est aliena negotia curo Excussis propriis Such was Peters curiosity Master what shall this man do Joh. 27.21 And his pretending Successor the Pope that magnus Ardelio that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that great busie Bishop in all the Diocesses in the world he is intermedling with all Churches and pretends a care of all souls and surely it was not without a great deal of providence that that speech should be St. Pauls not St. Peters where he saith He had the care of all the Churches 2 Cor. 11.28 To him who is thus inquisitive after others numquid faciant what they do and neglects quid faciam what shall I do I commend that speech of our Lord to Peter when he said to our Lord Master what shall this man do Our Lord answers What is that to thee follow thou me What is that to thee what other men do follow thou thy Lord. 2. They know not what is to be done they are at their wits end and what shall we do This is ordinarily the disposition of young Converts they are frighted and astonished and brought ad incitas they are at a loss So was Saul Act. 9. and the Jaylor Act. 16. this was figured 1 King 19. where before Elijah heard the small still voice there was a strong wind rending the mountains and breaking the rocks in pieces and
in a parable 2 Sam. 12.13 Ye know it is the common refuge of Harlots the devil ought them a spite or they were bewitcht I doubt not but sometimes the Devil bears more blame than he deserves ad populum phaleras mala mens malus animus the Prophet deceived hath turned them aside Thus men when they have sinned are apt to say it was Gods will it should be so contrary to the Wise Man in Ecclus. 15.11 12. Say not thou it is through the Lord that I fell away for thou oughtest not to do the things that he hateth say not thou he hath caused me to err for he hath no need of the sinful man we read His Will is our holiness but we never read his Will is our sin or iniquity Hence those are to be reproved who suffer themselves to be bewitched with hearing with imaginary faith with opinion of impossibility that we should be conformable to Christ crucified for the greatest witchery which the Apostle blames in these Galatians is their deceptio visus that though they see the types and figures of the whole Ceremonial Law all the preaching of the Gospel the Administration of the Sacraments all pointing them to Christ in them and him crucified afresh in them the truth silenced in them yet are they so bewitched that they know no other than Christ without them and him only crucified at Jerusalem What therefore may we think of those who daily hear and receive the Word and Sacraments yet know Christ no otherwise than according to the flesh no other service of God than that which can be seen and felt when they are wholly outwardly minded concerning inward things We read of the evil Servant who hid his Masters money and profited not by it that he was cast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what else shall we think other of those who have the Word of Christs Cross and Patience and use it to no other end to no profit at all to conform themselves thereunto are they not bewitcht are not their eyes hidden that they cannot see may it not be said of them bind them hand and foot and cast them into the outer darkness But a word of Consolation alas saith the poor soul I am then bewitcht with the iniquity which compasses my heels about so that I obey not as I would the Truth of God Fear not thou worm Jacob I will help thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer the holy one of Israel Isa 41.14 Jacob is weak as a worm but the worm turns again Jacob by faith resists the devil and he flies from him so that there is no divination against Jacob how much less is there inchantment against Israel the strong prevailing Church prevailing with God But note further St. Paul calls the Galatians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators turn foolish Galatians Hierom conjectures that the Apostle noted them with this infamous mark as being the character of that Region and that as other Nations have their Properties as the Gretians lyars c. as St. Paul proves out of Epimenides one of their own Prophets the Moores vain the Dalmatians fierce c. So he conceived that the Apostle intended here to twit them with the property of their own Nation a natural dulness and incapableness of wisdom yea and he proves out of Hillarius who himself was a Frenchman that the Gauls from whence the Galatians descended were unapt to learning he adds that in his time Ancyra the Mother City of Galatia was rent with seven several Sects and Factions which he names in his Preface to his Epistle yet none of all these comes home to prove that the Galatians were branded by St. Paul here with the mark of stupidity dulness or folly by other Nations so that what Jerome here saith and others from him amount to no more than a conjecture so that upon a meer guess to fasten a reproach upon a whole Nation is scarce charity Notwithstanding all this which hath been said I believe our Apostle did not intend so gross and reproachful a word as foolish to be understood by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet I deny not but the word signifies as much It is possible some of you may be of the same mind with me if ye shall consider that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies that which is intelligible and can be comprehended in ones mind and understanding and no otherwise if one of the best Masters of the Greek tongue be not deceived who cites Tully rendring those words of Plato 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sempiternarum rerum sub intelligentiam cadentium things eternal and such as fall under our understanding and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he turns animantes eos qui ratione intelliguntur living creatures who may be understood by reason and Plutarch Geometricians saith he teach children who are not able to understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intelligible kinds of incorporeal figures by fashioning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 visible and tangible representations of Spheres and cubes and bodies of twelve sides where he opposeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Suidas renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be such a one who understands not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such things as are intelligible only above sense as mystical and spiritual things are Observ 1. That they who know not spiritual things are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without understanding I mean not that they are fools in regard of humane things no nor in regard of many things in the word of God many there are who have much literal understanding of the Scripture who in regard of the Spirit and Truth thereof may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for they are therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without understanding because they apprehend not under the letter a spiritual mind and understanding of the Holy Ghost Thus many knew the history and prophecy of Jonas the Prophet how he was three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly yet they believed not nor knew nor laid it to heart what our Lord had said concerning Jonas that he was a sign of the Son of Man Matth. 16.4 Thus our Lord discoursing with the two Disciples that travelled to Emaus Luk. 24 19-24 he saith unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O fools not as we turn it O ye without understanding of divine things And the Apostle Tit. 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he means such as understand not divine matters Observ 2. Disobedient men who obey not the Doctrine of Christ crucified are ignorant and blind concerning spiritual things Observ 3. Hence we learn a difference of Christians according to growth and capacity the Galatians were here in the state of spiritual childhood and therefore since they did repuerascere become children and non proficients they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus the Apostle writes Hebr. 5. where by reason of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great speech
〈◊〉 If pellis vulpina non valet assumet leoninam as now he hath done If Peters will not serve the turn then he draws Pauls sword If the Foxes skin will not do then he takes the Lions The Reason why the Devil hath his wiles and devises may be considered from the corruption of his Wisdom and Goodness wherein he was Created 1. His Wisdom degenerate into subtilty 1. In regard of the wiles themselves they are such as can proceed only from that subtle Spirit who is Simia Dei Gods Ape As therefore the Spirit of God passeth through all Spirits so Satan the subtle Spirit and more subtle than all the Beasts of the field he passeth through the thoughts and affections of men so far as the Lord will permit him and exerciseth his wiles and deceits in them He was an Angel of Light the Light in him is become darkness We may consider the Three Principles of the Angels Nature with Analogie to Body Soul and Spirit Body wind Soul fire Spirit light when by reflecting upon himself he saw his own excellency he grew proud and so lost his light then remained nothing but fire the fire of envy and wrath and that blown by the wind fecit Angelos ventos He was the most glorious Angel Corruptio optimi est pessima spiritual wickedness The Serpent was the most subtle of all the beasts of the field That which whets his subtilty seems to be his pride and envy at Mans future happiness Observ 2. Whither to refer the wily crafty and subtle disposition to do mischief whither else but to the Devil himself that Old Serpent called the Devil and Satan He hath his Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Serpent in the Original from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to search to try to prove to tempt The Serpent hath deceived me saith our old Mother Gen. 3. 2. The Devil hath in him a fire of wrath and envy and this he kindles in ungodly men this he blows and longs as earnestly to kindle as the Lord was desirous to kindle the fire of his Spirit Observ 3. We learn hence whither we may refer the errours of our judgements and the deceitfulness of our lusts See Notes in Ephes 4.22 Observ 4. God is not the cause of our being misled and deceived Deus neque fallere potest neque falli He is the very Truth it self God is faithful it is impossible that God should lie It reproves us all that though we know all this that the Lord himself deceives us not but Satan through the yielding of our own deluded hearts yet we are content to be deceived What though thou knowest all the wiles of Satan all his stratagems all his methods and wayes of deceiving that he useth in the world if mean time thou knowest not his subtilty which he machinates and exerciseth in thine own heart he hath his Dalilah in thy own bosome Exhort Be not ignorant of the Devils devises Sanballat would seduce thee into the place of Ono. 2. Pray to the Lord who is the only wise God Wisdom alwayes over-reacheth subtilty 2. God hath a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a complete armour What is here meant by Armour and Gods Armour The Reason considerable in regard 1. Of God himself He is the Lord of Hosts and hath all power and strength and what ever is in parts in the Creature is whole and in solido in himself 2. In regard of his Saints who are one with him they are in themselves weak and feeble such are the doves among the fowls and the sheep among the cattle and therefore since their strength is not in themselves there 's great need it should be in God Observ 5. Gods Armour is Armour of Proof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Armour against which nothing can prevail so ye may observe it with the Criticks in the Holy Scripture both in the Old and New Testament That whatsoever hath the Name of God annexed unto it it is alwayes excellent in the kind as Gen. 32.2 Gods Host which is either by way of distinction added 1. Because Satan also hath his host of Angels or 2. Else for excellency sake as 1 Chron. 12.22 a great Host like the Host of God 2. The terrour of God was upon the Cities that were round about them Gen. 35.5 i. e. the greatest fear and terrour 3. Exod. 3.1 Horeb the Mount of God either 1. By Reason of Gods frequent apparitions in it to Moses and to Elias or 2. for the greatness of it so Psal 68.15 the hill of God is the hill of Basan presently it follows an high hill the hill of Basan 3. So Ezech. 28.16 Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the voices of God Exod. 9.28 which our Translators well render mighty thunderings The City of God Psal 46.4 and 48.1.8 So the Poet called Sparta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divine Sparta 4. Niniveh was an exceeding great City Jonah 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Translators put in the Margin of God word for word great of God or to God 5. As the Cedars of God i. e. tall Cedars Vatablus observes well that the Name of God added is a Particle of intention to increase the signification 6. Thus Moses is said to be exceeding fair 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Margin fair to God Act. 7.20 7. Thus the Minister is said to be a man of God implying what he ought to be an excellent man 8. Elias a man of God 9. Timothy thou man of God And thus people commonly look upon the Minister as he who ought to be such But I fear many look not so upon themselves who call themselves the people of God Whereas indeed there is the same reason for them they ought to be an excellent people The Saints that are in the earth they are excellent ones Psal 16.10 2 Cor. 10.4 Thus the weapons of our warfare are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mighty to God or exceeding mighty and the complete Armour the exceeding strong Armour 't is Armour of proof nothing can prevail against it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 complete armour By this word the LXX render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judg. 14.19 Sampson slew thirty Philistines and took their spoil He took their arms Chald. 2 Sam. 2.21 Abner said to Asahel Turn aside to one of the young men and take his armour Hence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Armour or Garments wherewith Josuah was cloathed by the Angel Zach. 3.4 I have taken from thee thy sins and cloathed thee with clean garments Chald. Paraph. with righteousness And we shall find that will prove the complete Armour the Armour in the Text if ye please to compare with these words Rom. 13.12 For what we here find called the whole armour of God we find there called the armour of light i. e. of God as God is light and Christ is light yea if ye look but vers 14. you will find the Apostle speaks home to our purpose where what he here calls the whole armour
their Children cry than give them knives to hurt themselves withall 'T is true indeed that Paul saith All things are yours yet what wise man will give his raving friend a sword though his own or a cup of cold water or hot wine to his friend sick of a fever yet would not doubt to spend all he had to do him good Beloved there is no Mother so tender of her Babe or David of his Jonathan as God is of his Friends and Children To put a sword into a childs or a mad mans hand or glut an aguish man with cold water or hot wine God knows it is not half so dangerous or but the worst half the destruction of their bodies as to give wealth and honours to his poor He hath given a life and his own life too the bread of life the life is more than meat and would he not then give thee what food thou thoughtest convenient for thee if 't were convenient for thee he hath given thee a body and his own body and cloath'd thee with his own Righteousness the body is more than rayment and would he not give thee raiment thou thy self thought fit for thee if 't were fit for thee He hath given thee his blood and would he deny thee water He hath given thee himself a greater gift he could not give thee and would he deny thee a less if 't were a gift fit for thee No no beloved 't is for Gods poors sake that God seems thus cruel unto his poor for as he knows their wants so also their infirmities and with that eye wherewith he searcheth hearts discovers in his poor many foolish and hurtful lusts yet frozen and yet asleep in the heart so still so quiet as if they were not there which prosperity alone can waken and set aflote and therefore in such a case God is far more merciful in detaining them than he should be in giving them This is the summ and ground of his suspicion And thus our poor mans appetite hath been dull'd directly both from a certain knowledge of the things themselves that in themselves they are deficient and evil and from a strong suspicion that they are inconvenient and evil unto himself and therefore not to be desired of him The same desire is also blunted indirectly so as when an edged tool hit against some harder matter and finding no entrance there turns the edge upward or as the rayes of the Sun darted on the earth having no passage further are reflected heaven-ward even so the heaven-born Christian appetite recoils and turns the back on things below when 't is wholly set on edge for things above Thus David's appetite once heaven-touch'd but toucheth at the earth and up again it goes to heaven Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon the earth that I desire in comparison of thee Psal 73.24 And therefore our Apostle exhorts the Colossians to set their affections upon things above and not on things upon the earth for he that doth the one cannot do the other he will hate the one and love the other he will hold to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve God and Mammon And the Reason is because the appetite as well as other faculties of the Soul being seriously employed about some one object cannot at once extend it self unto another But as a river whose stream is turned another way leaves the channel empty whence it came Or as in the beginning when the Spirit of God had moved upon the waters the waters were gathered unto their ocean and the dry land appeared Even so our poor mans sanctified appetite mov'd by the same Spirit of God reaching it self forth and running with full stream unto the Ocean of all goodness passeth over these earthly things and leaves them dry unknown and unsaluted Or like the poets Arethusa glides through the sea of this world without a salt desire And thus our poor mans desire is indirectly blunted so ye have the first way whereby Christ inwardly enables a poor disgrac'd Christian Man well to behave himself in his adversity by blunting his desire of what e're good seems absent The second general way is by procuring a delight and pleasing himself in the use of what is present whether it be naked poverty or Christian poverty 1. As it is naked poverty so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a poor man knows how to take pleasure in it by the light of Nature or the common illumination of the Spirit of God 2. As it is Christian proverty so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poor Christian man's instructed how to take pleasure in it by a supernatural light of Grace A man would hardly believe there were any thing in naked poverty wherein a poor man could take delight had not a cloud of meer natural witnesses many ages past and those of the wisest too confirmed this Paradox not by a sullen opinion of fond affectation that they might seem to differ from other men or necessity as if they could not help it but by their own unfeigned voluntary poverty Many Reasons they had which as others relate so Aristophanes heaps up in his Plutus in the person of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the summ of all this that this condition of all others tends to the good and furtherance of a contemplative and active life and the security of both Examples are obvious of Zeno and Anaxagoras losing their goods with joy or at least with patience of Bias not thinking his goods his own or if so not worth the carriage though from an enemy of Xenocrates refusing summs of money sent him from Alexander the Great of Crates casting his goods into the Sea nay the Cynick could never quietly possess that little houshold-stuff he had but a silly wooden dish when once he had seen a poorer man than himself drink water out of his hand I know not what he would have done had he seen Gideons Soldiers kneeling down and lapping water like dogs out of the river This last shall give one Reason for the rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poverty is a compendious self-sufficient self-teaching virtue But these were all contemplative men plodding Philosophers unexperienced in the world 'T is true but Lycurgus and Plato to whom I may add the Author of Eutopia were all able if not active States-men The two last wish'd for a common-wealth as good as they had fashioned The first fashioned a Common-wealth as good as he could wish But all their Laws and constitutions abominated wealth as dangerous to their Cities insomuch that it was not lawful for any of their Citizens to be rich Howsoever this may seem strange and unreasonable because of the far differing estate of other Common-wealths yet the Common-wealth of Sparta by observing these Laws of their Lycurgus flourish'd six hundred years and after fell to ruine by their own neglect If then by the dimm light of Nature the common ray of Gods holy Spirit the poor man
these things were not done in a corner Nor was the Gospel a Light put under a Bushel but on a Candlestick yea a Beacon on a Hill which gave light unto all the world for as the Sun howsoever appearing but in one place in the world sends forth the Beams equally unto every part of the whole Horizon and successively compasseth the whole world And as a great voice howsoever uttered in one place yet propagates it self according to the contention of him that speaks alike unto every place which are the resemblances which the Holy Ghost it self makes use of even so the glorious Gospel the Glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the East 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And his voice was like the voice of many waters Ezek. 43.2 Yea there is neither Speech nor Language but their voices are heard among them their sound is gone out into all lands and their words unto the ends of the world Psal 19.3 Rom. 10.18 And surely whether we consider 1. The Gospel it self or 2. The world to which the Gospel came Or 3. God who so disposed of it Great Reason there is that the Gospel should come into all the world 1. As for the Gospel it self it is the power of God unto Salvation And that Salvation is a common salvation Jude 2. And Christ the Saviour of the world and the desire of all nations 2. And the world it self hath need of such a Saviour being in maligno positus lying in evil and altogether lost in it but only a desire of being better or good This necessity the world draws upon it self by sin but the desire is wrought by God by discovering the horribleness of sin the wrath of God kindled by it the punishment due unto it and so the great need of Christ to save us from it Add hereunto outward Judgements which awake and shake the Consciences of worldly men and especially the Colossians in the Text. To which we may joyn one cause more peculiar unto them as Strabo reports the shaking of their City by frequent Earth quakes all which laid together must needs stir up an earnest desire to hear the Gospel the glad tydings of Salvation such a desire as God alone can satisfie and he undertakes so to do Hag. 2.7 For thus saith the Lord of Hosts I will shake the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and the dry Land and I will shake all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall come See now and admire the fountains in God of so great so universal goodness 1. His admirable LOVE so he loved a sic without a sicut So he loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish Joh. 1. Perish no he would not that any man should perish 2 Pet. 3.9 No he wills that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth 1 Tim. 2.4 2. The LOVE of God the Son who gave his life for the world Joh. 6. and tasted death for every man Hebr. 2.9 enlightens every man that comes into the world Joh. 1. The Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world 2. Admire his bounty 't is no more included in Judea 't is not from Dan to Beersheba but from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof 'T is no more true Non talitèr fecit omni Nationi yea now he hath done so unto every Nation and the Heathen have the knowledge of his Law yea and his Gospel too Psal 147. For all the ends of the earth remember themselves and turn unto the Lord Psal 22. so he promised 3. Admire his faithfulness having promised he makes good his Word to all the world yea though all the world were against it This exceeding great LOVE of God unto the world is set off by the foil of envious men and self-lovers who would engross Gods goodness to themselves alone and envy Gods goodness unto the world who shut up the door of his Word his Gospel in Gideons fleece which he showers upon all the earth like the Jews who so envied the Gospel to the Gentiles that they were ready to stone our Saviour when he mentioned the Ninevites the widow of Sarepta and Naaman the Syrian and St. Paul was not worthy to live when once he spake of going to the Gentiles Act. And shall he not make good his Word unto thee who ever thou art who dependest on him 'T is Gods own reasoning He that is faithful in little is faithful also in much And is it not more probable if there can be more or less in God that he that is faithful in much will be faithful also in little 4. Admire his wisdom when Man was fall'n and God in mercy would not utterly reject him he made choice of one People to profess his Law and set them in umbilico terrae the very middle as some judge of the then known in habitable world and of all other places in the world the most convenient for exportation and importation and all manner of convenience into all parts of the world That from Sion as from a centre the Law might go forth and the Word of God from Jerusalem into all the world Isa 2. And being now to convey the Gospel into all the World he made choice of the most peaceable time that ever the Roman Empire had that in those Halcyon dayes Repentance and Remission of Sins might without let be preached among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Luk. 24.47 And all these Love Bounty Faithfulness and Wisdom were managed and executed by suitable Divine Power and Authority for as those Posts which bare the Letters of Grace unto the Jews from Queen Esther and Mordecai being hasten'd on by the Kings Commandment disposed themselves and speedily finished their course from Shushan into the one hundred twenty seven Provinces Esth 8. Even so these Apostles or Messengers of the Lord according to the mystical intent of that History were dispatched by his Power and Authority Who hath all power in heaven and earth and sent into all the world to preach the Gospel of Grace and peace unto every Creature Mar. 16.15 Behold then the excusableness and justification of God from mans destruction even before the world there is not one part of the world unto which God hath left himself without witness for he affords to all men living a double testimony and witness of himself Both 1. Outward in that he doth good and gives us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness Act. 14.17 2. And inward The testimony of his Law which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts between themselves accusing and excusing one another though they have not the outward Law in Letters communicated unto them And then facienti quod in se est Deus non deest Whosoever walks worthy of these means God is